God's Gold Standard

I "look through the glass darkly", (which includes my best shot at intrepreting scripture). With such a foggy view, I cannot be trusted to see the absolute nature of all truths. If only God would wipe the fog away from the window -- but for reasons only He knows, he chooses not to. Until he does, I'll squint my eyes and do my best to "see" the "truth" through that window (scripture, life, etc.), but logic says I cannot trust my view to be 100% correct.

This less-than 20/20 sight is the foundation upon which our beliefs are built. These beliefs then govern our consciences, which we use to either accuse or excuse our behavior.

I have seen a view through that dark window that appears to say people will be tortured in a terrible fire for eternity if they do not choose Chist as their Savior -- and I wonder about all the people who have never had an opportunity to make that choice. Should I accept that not-quite-clear view as absolutely correct, or would a clear view show something a little differently?

I have seen a view that appears to be my Creator telling me not to lie, regardless of what harm the truth might cause. If the window was just a little less dark, would this view be a little different?

Many images can be vaguely seen through that dark window. Mankind has used their interpretations of those vague images as foundations upon which to build complicated belief structures (traditions of men).

I have chosen to simplify things for myself. Of all the foggy images I have seen through God's dark window, one seems to be at least as clear as any other. Love.

It appears that the Creator loved His creatures and wants them to love each other in the same way. I have chosen this to be the "Gold Standard" with which I compare all other foggy views through that dark window. If a view meets the criteria of love, I'll accept it as is. If not, I'll file it away as a view my Creator will have to further explain to me some day.

This greatly simplifies things for me. The spirit of love behind a law becomes more important than any foggy interpretation given for it. If to "never lie" fails the Gold Standard test of love, I choose to believe "never lie" is a faulty intrepretation.

As I am relatively ignorant of the Creator's absolutes, I have no choice but to be relative in my beliefs. Making the best of this situation, I choose to relate my choices to love.